NEW SITE ON THE WAY!

Why has this blog not been updated??? Well the vision has expanded and a new site has been in development. Stay tuned for www.poptheculture.com !

Quick update on what I've been up to...

Ministry with the Frontlynaz this summer has been awesome. We've been traveling and even got a chance to go to St. Maartin!

Work has been crazy busy but what else is new!

Rest...I've been resting when I get a chance. That is what the summer is for!

Seminary ...I'll be starting seminary classes in Sept if the Lord wills. 

Can't wait to launch this new site...it will be great!

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Discovering the Will of God - Pt 3

"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."

- Psalm 37:5

When it comes to seeking God's will, we usually seek after instructions that will accomplish a vision or goal. We want to know who, what, when, where, why, how and everything in between.  We pray, we cry, we search, and search some more for these illusive elements. We tend to forget that God's will is more about the inches than the miles ahead of us.

Once we decide to follow the Lord, we step onto God's will not knowing what is ahead. We move forward with limited knowledge of the full path. Since our human nature hungers for control, we begin to survey the miles ahead of us trying to define what moves to make and what significant milestones we must reach. We confuse the milestones that we cannot see as "God's Will". We completely ignore the inches that are right in front of us. 

I recently went on a retreat with the Frontlynaz to spend time in prayer to seek after the voice of God. We have some very specific questions as a ministry team. After three days of prayer, meditation, and discussion we definitely don't have the full journey figured out. We did, however, open our eyes to the "inches". We renewed our faith and trust that God will bring all things to pass. We determined that we need to act on the inches He has revealed to us and the rest will unravel on its own.

God's will is not a future milestone to search for. God's will is continuous, dynamic, and requires your obedience today. Every seemingly insignificant inch forward will reveal more of God's plan for your life. Obedience today will carry you further than diligently searching for answers God is not ready to reveal.

What is God leading you to do today? Is it to read the Word? Is it to send an email to someone? Is He telling you to brainstorm and put ideas on paper? Is He telling you to stop spending money on video games? :-)

Take that inch forward today, trust in Him,  and He will make sure His will is accomplished. To God be the glory.

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- B.P

Discovering the Will of God - Pt 2

"...then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

- Romans 12:2 (Amplified)

Have you ever thought about the character of God's will? What are your perceptions of God's will for your life? Do you sometimes carry a negative response to the desire of God, his timing, and how He does things? Or do you see God's will as good, pleasing, and perfect?

Previously, we talked about the prerequisite to knowing God's will. Another important lens to look through is the nature of His desire for our lives. If that lens is out of focus, walking through God's will can become difficult and frustrating.

Ultimately the Lord can do what he wants, when he wants, with who he wants! He is not restricted by man but because He is love, his will for us is powered by that same nature. Our hope lives knowing that God has a good and loving will for us. 

If your like me, I'm sure you may have questioned God's plan like...

"Why did I have to go through that suffering?"

"Why is he/she making progress, and I'm stuck in the same place?"

"Why are things taking so long?"

"Do I have to make that sacrifice in order to fulfill Your will?"

"Why am I still unclear on Your desire?"

I know you can relate! These questions can drive us insane and further away from God. We begin to question the wisdom of God and his motives. If these thoughts continue, we can find ourselves redefining His will without His permission. 

Following God's will to the end requires a deep rooted belief that His desire is fundamentally good even if our emotions and circumstances say otherwise. Not only is the outcome of His plan good but the plan itself is perfect. Take time to reflect on the character of God and His will for you. Looking through the right lens will help you successfully "test and approve God's good, pleasing, and perfect will."

Lord, transform our minds so we may clearly see the true character of Your will...

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Discovering the Will of God Pt 1

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

- Romans 12 : 2

"God's will". I'm sure we've all referenced this phrase throughout our lives. If your like me, I'm sure you've cried, "Lord, help me to know your will!"  When hanging out with your friends, you probably have steered into the discussion of finding out the "hows" and "whats" of your life. In some way or another we all return back to this concept of God's will. 

Understanding God's will for our lives can be challenging at times. His will can be so simple and clear. In other situations, we have no clue what the Lord wants us to do. Aspects of His will seem to be laid out for us already while others require a journey of discovery. 

My hope for growing leaders in the faith is that we progress in our understanding, discernment, and knowledge of God's will. The following series of Evangeleader blog entries will be dedicated to this topic and I'll be touching on a few thoughts that I've been meditating on lately. I'm excited to discover more regarding my own life and my desire is for God to reveal His good will towards you. Here are a few things we will dive into...

- The prerequisite to knowing God's will

- The character of God's will

- God's standard will

- God's personalized will

- How to determine God's will

- The dangers of not aligning with God's will

The Prerequisite

The most important lesson I've learned is that to know God's will, you have to be close to Him. The spiritual renewal of our mind is an awesome process of detaching from the world and conforming with God's desires. Loving God, the most important commandment, is the driving force behind understanding more detailed aspects of His will. Without repentance and a relationship with the Lord, the will of God in your life will always be elusive. Becoming wise in the knowledge of His will requires the fear of God. Loving submission to the Lord will ignite the wisdom you desire. The answers we are looking for are resting in God so have you found a quiet place to worship? Have you been reflecting more on your goals rather than Jesus? Have you fallen in any way lately? If so, run to His grace and seek forgiveness. Start your journey in God's will the right way. We call it "God's" will for a reason :-)

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Welcome 2009!

I'm excited to enter 2009 with a fresh zeal for the Lord. This year, expect more blog entries on a more frequent basis :-) Also, I'll be launching a new website! 

For your devotional pleasure, take some time to read Psalm 37. Great scripture on waiting, trusting,  and relying on the Lord. I've been running into a common message from scripture and mentors regarding "patience". I'm all about diligence and achieving, but we all must learn about the dangers of  "overachieving". 

I won't leave you hanging. I'll be posting a new blog entry about that next :-)

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Called to Be Profitable

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them..."

Read Matt. 25:14-29

If you were an angel investor and sowed thousands of dollars into a company start up, what would you expect in return? What if you put your money into the stock market or into a mutual fund? Ultimately, we all would be looking for some sort of return on our investment. We want to get more back than what we put it. All of us would want to see some profit. 

The parable of the talents is a great story describing our faith relationship. A relationship where God is the investor and we are His top investment. We can learn a great deal from this passage in the book of Matthew. Here are a few thoughts that jumped out at me as I meditated on this story...

1. God has invested a great amount of His goods into us.

We're told that three servants were given various amounts of "talents". A talent in those days was equal to six thousand denarii. A denarius represented the day's wage for a typical working man. Before, I used to think that the man given only one talent wasn't really given much to work with. In reality, even one talent was worth a great amount of money. 

God has invested a great deal into you (spiritual gift(s), strength, networks, location, resources, money, unique skills, etc.). This is one of the most pivotal revelations that will propel you in impacting culture. Don't believe the lie that you were not given enough. Remember that one talent is as good as 6000 denarii.

2. God EXPECTS a profit.

God is loving but He is still in the business of making a profit. In the parable, the lazy servant buried his talent in the ground and returned his master's investment with no profit. The issue here is that the master expected a return. In fact, he told the servant that he should have at least given the talent to the bankers so he could collect a small amount of interest. 

God is no different than the master in this parable. Don't bury the great investment you've been given. Live with a goal of making a "profit" in the form of good works, fruits of the Spirit, Godly influence, and changed lives. 

3. God wants us to be wise stewards of his investment.

Life is about learning how to manage what we've been given in the most profitable fashion. We can produce various levels of profit depending on how we decide to manage God's investment. For those that want to achieve the most for God, don't settle for meeting minimum expectations. Stretch yourself and be diligent in becoming a wise steward of your "talents". Are you maximizing your God given investment? 

As we enter 2009, lets focus on becoming fruitful and productive. We've been called to be profitable. 

Tips for becoming profitable in 2009:

- Spend time taking note of what you've been given. Make a list if you can. Specify your gifts, special skills, resources, etc. Even your home and car are investments. 

- Be truthful to yourself and identify where your "portfolio" isn't doing too well. Are you lacking in love? Patience? Kindness? Ask the God of grace to help you pull your numbers back up!

- Pray and ask yourself how you can use what you've been given to influence culture and individuals. Don't be afraid to think big and set stretch goals. Dare to move out of your comfort zone. 

- Take risks with what you've been given. I took the risk of doing hip hop music even when people did not understand it. Seven years later, my group is nominated for a Stellar Award and thousands are influenced by our music. To God be the glory!

Just remember that your salvation is not defined by your works but your works are the beautiful outward description of your salvation. God is good!

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Spiritual Motivation

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but exhorting one another..."

- Hebrews 10:24

Just imagine people coming together, awakening each other to an amplified sense of who God is and motivating one another to DO something for the glory of God. This is spiritual motivation.

The Philadelphia Phillies just won the World Series and I had the opportunity to go to the championship parade (Go Phillies!) I couldn't help but get excited when I observed thousands of people around me cheering and screaming with their hands in the air. Everyone was unified with red sweatshirts and red hats. I'm not a huge baseball follower, but I was instantly drawn into the excitement. As the play-offs were approaching, the media created a viral buzz around the Phillies. At some point, everyone caught Philly fever and it was the topic of conversation every morning at work. I can honestly say, the people around me stirred up my love for the Phillies. Their passion became my passion. Once I was stirred up, I had to watch the games and I wasn't going to miss the parade. I wanted to be involved in what everyone was raving about.

The outcome of observing others in the faith should lead to the same results. When we observe our peers in the faith, we should hunger for godliness and good works. In fact, the Greek word for love in this verse, "agape", conveys the image of a FEAST of love and charity. There should be an undeniable surge of Christ-like activity and spiritual motivation when we observe one another.

Have you ever gone to a gathering of "Christians" and just felt deflated by the lack of enthusiasm? Maybe you go to a church where people are complacent and there is no one that really ignites your desire to love more and do more. Well your not alone. We all will experience this at some point.

In this situation, ask yourself, "Is MY life motivating others?" That is the essence of experiencing spiritual motivation. We shouldn't wait for someone else to push us to walk in the power of God. Instead, we should focus on being a source of motivation for others. If everyone had that mindset, we would be experiencing a great revival throughout the nation.

Live to motivate all people in a godly manner. You've been CALLED to stir up love and good works in others. Whether the person is a Christian friend or an agnostic co-worker, your mission is the same. Be a spiritual motivator and rally people around our Savior.

Spiritual Motivation Tips

1. Your in the midst of many observers at work. Be an example of diligence, excellence, purity, patience, love, etc. Someone will take notice.

2. When volunteers are needed, raise your hand to be a servant. We need more servant role models.

3. Ask God for the grace to love others on a daily basis. You may be called to encourage, give, comfort, sacrifice, and edify at any moment.

4. Don't do things out of obligation. Put your heart into things, not just your mind.


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I'm back!

Hey everyone..

I took a blogging vacation and I'm back in action. The past couple months have had some major ups and downs. Through it all, the Lord has been faithful as always and is teaching me so much about His grace. His grace is our comfort in times of great tragedy. His grace opens doors and allows us to experience great blessings. By His grace, he uses the little we have in order to do mighty works. We serve a gracious and awesome God.

I'll be posting some new Evangeleader blog entries shortly so stay tuned. Pray for me and my wife as we approach 2009 with great hope and faith. 

Special News:  Frontlynaz, the hip hop group I'm in, has been nominated for a Stellar Award!!! Pray for the Lord to expand our territory as we thank Him for this nomination.

Don't Over Work

"Do not over work to be rich, because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not?"

- Prov. 23:4-5

America. Land of people that work way too hard to stack that green, the dinero, the cheese, that cabbage, loot, MONEY MONEY MONEY.

This is an important topic for everyone, especially young professionals. Aren't we supposed to do whatever it takes? I thought we're supposed to pursue our goals with tenacity. I mean, if I have to work 60+ hours a week to achieve my financial goals then so be it. Right?

Well, our fast paced, go get em' culture will tell you that wealth requires sacrifice. The problem is that we're sometimes asked to sacrifice the things that are important to God. Riches are great and that senior position with the corner office would be awesome, but it may come with a price. Money is important, but if we're not careful we can lose more than we bargained for. We can be consumed by the pursuit of a bigger bank account. Our desires for a new challenge may actually bring more obstacles than opportunities. 

Your time, energy, and passion is important to God. When we over work ourselves for that illusive monetary goal, our time, energy, and passion are not allocated appropriately. Family is forgotten, our health suffers, and our stress increases. We forget how fun it is to just sit and watch a movie. We disregard quiet time with God. We log into our work laptop instead of swinging by a friend's house. We even delegate our money to the work of God but don't get involved ourselves. We are spread thin, stretched, and consumed.

The fallen nature of our culture praises people who work those extra hours for the good of the company. The "get it done" attitude is exalted.  "Work-life balance" seems to be more for employees with children. Oh, by the way, working 5 out of 7 days in a week does not seem like work-life balance to me!

I'm not saying you should start working part time, but it helps put things in perspective :-) It is an eye opener when you realize that 30% of your time is spent sleeping, 30% of your time is spent at the job. Then you try to squeeze the other 40% of your "life" in the evenings, Saturday, and Sunday. You know as well as I do, that the weekend can be a blur between recreation and more work. 

Here are some questions that will help you evaluate your work life:

1.  Are you working hard or over working? Diligence is between laziness and working selfishly.

2. What does God want from you? God does not measure your success with a dollar sign.

3. What is your focus? Focus on purpose not profit.

4. Is your time allocated the way it should be? Prioritize and manage your time.

5. Are you depressed or stressed? Money is good but peace is much better.

6. What are you chasing? Pursue goals that God has confirmed, not one's that you've created.

7. How is your relationship with God? A work life that compromises your walk with God is a work life that is not managed correctly.

Things you can do:

1. Assess your time and priorities before God. You'll know what needs fixing.

2. Don't let vacation days pile up...USE THEM

3. Don't bring work home. It's a choice.

4. Ask your HR group if there are opportunities to work four, 10 hr days. May require you to wake up a little earlier, but that's not so bad.

5. Change jobs. If the role your in requires too much of you, start looking for other options.

6. Seek to renew your mind and thoughts about money. 

The goal is to glorify God in our work. In the end, the heavens won't be talking about how much money we made. 

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The Teachable Student

The bible addresses the topic of teaching on numerous occasions. Teaching is an important part of society, the church, and the home. Christ built His ministry around teaching others and He surrounded Himself with students who were willing to learn and there were others that rejected His wisdom.

It is my opinion that everyone is a student 24 hours a day. We are surrounded by wisdom, we interact with people that have wisdom, and we experience events that provide us with knowledge all the time. We are being taught even when we don't realize it. With all of the knowledge around us and with the many teachers we encounter, becoming a teachable student is something we all need to address.

Becoming a good student is fundamental to our relationship with Jesus. It is also critical to our personal and professional growth. Making the decision to actively listen and learn requires us to shed a few bags of our former nature. Our former nature hates to indulge in Godly wisdom. It wants to prevent us from growing and gaining more ground in our purpose. Let me describe our former nature:

- Proud
- Arrogant
- Rebellious
- Deaf
- Insecure

Our former nature is a "know it all" and esteems itself a little too highly. Our former nature is also rebellious. It can't seem to submit to leadership and it especially can't stand submitting to those with the authority to teach. It has selective hearing and it will listen only when it is convenient. Lastly, our old nature is insecure. It doesn't want to be a teachable student because it needs to face what it does not know and admit that it is not always "right".

I have to say that my old nature has popped up many times in my life. For me to grow as a leader, I need to master the art of being a teachable student. How do we overcome this old nature that does not want to be teachable? Well, overcoming our old ways is simply a choice. It is a choice because we are now free from the proud, arrogant, rebellious, deaf, and insecure ways of our past (Romans). So if we are not teachable, it is because we choose not to be. We'd rather ignore the signs of our faulty old character.

Becoming a teachable student is essential to our success in the public arena. Most importantly, it is the only way we can please Christ. Ultimately, the best students will become the best teachers and will become the shining examples of Godly influence in a crippled culture.

"Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me."
- Psalm 25:4-5

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HIS Network is Your Network

You've heard the term "networking" before. It is a common term used in the business world. It has everything to do with making connections with people that have the potential to be a helpful resource. In today's culture, networking is essential to achieving your goals. Knowing the right people, at the right time, and leveraging those connections is so important.

When my wife and I got married, she was still living and working in New Jersey while I was in Delaware. She was looking for a job closer to our home for several months and could not find the right opportunity. We didn't want to settle for any job, but we wanted the right job that fits her future plans. We prayed and waited..prayed and waited...and did some more praying.

After we got back from the honeymoon, we still had this job challenge hanging over our heads. We were still living apart and something had to give. Out of nowhere, she meets someone through a friend that has connections at a company in her field of interest. This new acquaintance was cool enough to pass along my wife's resume to his contacts. Literally, within two weeks she was interviewed and hired. This is networking at its best.

For months, she was posting her resume on Monster.com, Career Builder, and other sites. No response. Then at the right time, she meets the right person, who had the right resources to place her where she needs to be. The job she landed was not a close fit, but a perfect fit.

Do you believe that God is orchestrating the right network for you? This network of people will enter your path to help you fulfill the plan of God. Make no mistake, your network will play a key role in making your vision come to pass. Some of these people will become close friends and others will be short lived relationships. Either way, they play an important role in your journey.

Here are some Evangeleader networking tips:

1. As you pray for direction, pray that you meet the right people.

2. Create a list of people you know that could be a helpful resource. List their strengths, skills, and the areas where they can help you.

3. Don't feel like your using people. Maintain sincere relationships and be honest when you need their help. Be straight forward in your communication.

4. Be discerning of new people you meet. Do not over-look people that may be entering your path for a reason. Make note of these people and add them to your list (#2). You may not need them now, but maybe 1 year from now.

5. Connect with people from your past that may now be in positions to help build your future. Try Facebook!

6. Keep in contact with your network. Send emails, make phone calls, and shoot text messages.

7. Thank people when they do help you get closer to your goal. Gratitude will leave room for even more grace.

8. Lastly, strive to be on another person's network list. Life is about giving.

Remember, HIS network is your network.

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3 Important Life Themes

When you ask people what it means to be like Christ, they will probably point out His spiritual fruit and character. To be like Christ is to be loving, to be generous, to be patient, to be prayerful, to be kind, and we can add a hundred more desirable traits of Christ. How do we get to that point? When we choose to follow God we also sign up to experience His life in total. Becoming like Christ requires a few life themes to be evident in our journey. When these life themes unfold, we find ourselves becoming more like the Lord.

Theme 1: Suffering without losing faith

Whether it be in our physical bodies or in our emotional state, we will suffer at times. We will be persecuted, we will be discouraged, and we may experience great loss or pain. This is what we've signed up for. The Christian life is not about avoiding suffering but embracing the sufferings of Christ that mold us into His image. Throughout these times of suffering, we are encouraged to increase in our faith, boldness, and trust. Blessings will come, but we can't avoid Godly suffering. Suffering is always there but we don't have to fear it.

Theme 2: Sacrificing for the greater good

We all know that Christ made many sacrifices and ultimately gave up His life for us. Your life will also involve many decisions that will require you to sacrifice your "wants" for the fulfillment of God's desires. Time, pleasure, money, and certain freedoms will be put on the line when you follow the narrow path. For instance, I would love to find a job in San Diego where I can enjoy the beach, go wave-running, and enjoy the sun. Delaware is not a bad place, but c'mon it's no San Diego! Even though I'd love to explore other opportunities, my place is in Delaware for this season. I could also find a job close to home that pays more but it may require more of my time...time that I should use to develop myself, other people, and ministries. Sacrifice and self centered living are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Once we begin living a life of sacrifice, we then need to learn to be settled...

Theme 3: Settling into the Father's plan

Notice I did not write settling for the Father's plan. Settling for the Father's plan would imply that the Father's plan isn't "all that". Settling for would mean there is something better out there that we should be doing. It would mean we're missing out. In reality, we're missing out on a ton of things, but there is no possible way to experience and acquire everything we want. God has an ability to fashion our lives in such a manner that we experience and acquire those things that create an overall life of contentment. We may not get to have everything, but we have everything we need. We may not experience everything, but we experience life the way it should be. God doesn't have to modify His plans to make them better. We need to renew our minds to view His plans as being better. Don't fight His plan. Settle into it.

Are you suffering, sacrificing, and learning to settle into the Father's plan? If so, be encouraged because you are becoming Christ-like. Welcome to Christianity.


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How To Prosper

Read Psalm 1:1-3

Money, power, respect is the key to life...or so they say. We live in a world of foolish insight but we don't have to adopt it. As leaders of the faith, we follow a different motto. For us, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit is the key to a prosperous and meaningful life.

We all want good things. I'd like to advance in my career, ministry, and family life. If I pursue a goal, I'd like to accomplish it. I want my life to be productive and show signs of growth. I want to make an impact. As much as possible, I'd like to see positive results. Is that your desire?

The first few verses of Psalm 1 give us some critical advice. Advice that is so straight forward yet so transformational. In these verses you find two key instructions for producing amazing results in your life:

1. Live Distinct - Psalm 1:1 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.."

As an evangeleader, the challenge will be influencing the world without adopting behaviors that contradict our faith. We're not called to live in a bubble but we are called to be distinct. How distinct are you in God's eyes. Remember, His eyes search the very heart of man. Pay close attention to your relationships. Influence people by upholding your biblical values and at the same time honor God by denying certain values of this age.

2. Live for God - Psalm 1:2 "But his delight is in the law of the Lord..."

When we delight in the will of God, we commit ourselves to living out His desires. We love others, we give, and we are eager to develop a strong relationship with Him. Delighting in God places Him as the director of our lives. Contentment, provision, peace, joy, and purpose are found when we live for God. When it comes down to it, prosperity is found in the plans of God and not our own.

Live distinct, live for God, and you'll find the favor needed to prosper.


"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper."

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Leadership Tips From Paul

Read 2 Corinthians for more background information.

Have you ever heard a dynamic speaker or observed a charismatic leader win the hearts of people and maybe even attracted you to their leadership? Let's be honest. We gravitate to leaders that have the ability to eloquently motivate us, inspire us, or even make us laugh. We sometimes validate people's position, power, and authority by the "hype".

Paul, one of the greatest men of God, was challenged by the church of Corinth who began to question his authority, integrity, and even began to criticize his lack in skilled oratory. He wasn't a philosopher that could "wow" them. His approach to ministry was all about the Good News, humbling himself, and moving as far away from the spotlight as possible. He didn't want people to affiliate with Paul but with Christ.

Though he didn't have some of the hype that attracts people today, he had something more important. He had the knowledge to back up his ministry. Faithfully, he served even after being stoned, beaten, imprisoned, and shipwrecked. He received direct revelation from God and wasn't just wise in his own understanding. At the end of the day, the fruits show that he was a leader that was called.

Here are a few of the many things we can learn from Paul's life of leadership...

1. Be leaders and follow leaders that grow in knowledge (2 Cor. 11:5-6)

Paul knew that he is not inferior to the false prophets or the genuine apostles of that day. He knew that he had as much or more truth and knowledge then the most "eminent" apostles around. Are you lacking confidence in your calling? Seek out knowledge.

2. Be leaders and follow leaders of calling and not just capability (2 Cor. 11:22-27)

When your called, your heart, mind, level of faith, and discernment is built for a particular position. Your capabilities are the hands and feet that help do the job. Calling is given while capabilities can be learned. Of the two, calling is most important. Only a true calling of grace enabled Paul to fulfill his mission in the midst of extreme hardship. If your called, your far ahead of those that seem to be better equipped.


3. Be leaders and follow leaders that have the right focus (2 Cor. 11:28)

Too many ministers and progressive Christians fall into the trap of building a focus around themselves. Support leaders that have the right focus and intentions. What is your daily focus? Is it how you can better yourself or is it how your life can better others?

We can all learn from Paul's life of leadership. May God confirm your calling, increase your knowledge, and protect your focus.

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Faith vs. Positive Attitude

In today's world of universal religion, personal development, and life coaching, everyone is seeking for ways to improve their chances of experiencing a productive and successful life. The term "positive attitude" is used all over the place and it is finding its way into Christian theology and doctrine. There is some merit to the concept of keeping a positive attitude but alone it has no real power.

To have a "positive attitude" is to view your future with an optimistic outlook. You trust that everything is going to be alright and the stars will align even through the most difficult times. People around the world are told to keep their hopes up and things will work out in their favor. However, stopping there is not good enough because it doesn't answer the big questions. Who will help orchestrate and deliver the promises we so desire? Who will "align the stars" for us? Who will step in when human knowledge and capability fail?

For an evangeleader, keeping a positive attitude really means living in faith. Faith brings clarity and closure to those big questions. Faith bridges the gap between earthly wisdom and divine intervention. Faith is a proclamation that God is needed.

Recently, I found myself walking with a very unfaithful mindset. I was frustrated, doubtful, and overwhelmed. These feelings were ultimately impacting my mood, my outlook towards the future, and even my speech. Why was I feeling this way? I came to the conclusion that I wasn't walking in faith. I wasn't trusting the secret promises that God has spoken to me throughout the years and I was losing hope. When you lose hope, the signs of defeat begin to emerge.

Are the signs of defeat beginning to show up in your daily life? Depression, doubt, anxiety, anger, a decrease in passion?

If I was Dr. Phil I would say, "You need to keep a positive attitude". However, I know about something that can deliver amazing results if your willing to patiently carry it through life.

Faith.

"...who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle..."

- Hebrews 11:33-34


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Confidence

"Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.

But the Lord said to me:

Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak....Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant."

- Jeremiah 1:6-10

The story of Jeremiah is a great one. He was called out by God to be a mouthpiece that would proclaim a difficult word to the people of Judah. The first few verses in this book describe a turning point where Jeremiah moves from a normal routine into the challenging call that God had appointed for him. He was on the verge of entering a great new opportunity.

Notice Jeremiah's initial reactions:

1. "Ah Lord God!" - Anxiety
2. "I can't speak for I am a youth" - Doubt in capability and power

You can't blame Jeremiah for his reaction. I mean c'mon, he was called to go before leaders and tell them that they need to change how they live and renew their relationship with the Lord.
Jeremiah did what most people would do. He looked at himself first.

Aha! #1: Look in the mirror and you will see your biggest challenge.

When you read Jeremiah further, you will find our hope and a key message. It was God who called him. It was God who would give Jeremiah the words to say. It was God who would protect him and it was God who would establish Jeremiah's authority.

Aha! #2: God is big time. We're small time. God still works with us, around us, and in us.

You will be called to a new challenging opportunity. As an Evangeleader, new promotions, new jobs, new projects, big meetings, and new leadership roles are going to be a part of your life. Its a fact that Gen X and Y leaders will find themselves in these situations. Fear, anxiety, and doubt are bound to arise but we can all learn from Jeremiah's life that confidence is not an innate gifting. The confidence you need to take on the next "big thing" in your life comes from God alone. Don't believe the hype of those 7 step books that say confidence is found by exercising your inner strength. Heh?

Aha! #3: True confidence is a by-product of God's strength and grace working in your life.

Its not a one time experience. Confidence is developed over time as you allow Christ to flex a little muscle. Move forward when you hear the call and remember what the Lord says..."I am with you".


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Timing Vs. Conditions

I'm back! How is everyone doing? I know it has been awhile since my last post. I've been working on releasing a new album with my hip hop group, planning a wedding for April 26th, and have been working really hard! I'm not making excuses though. My beautiful fiance was telling me that I need to get on the ball with the blogs again...so here I am. I'm already getting used to the powerful influence of a wife :-)

" He who observes the wind [and waits for all conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. As you know not what is the way of the wind, or how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you know not the work of God, Who does all." - Ecclesiastes 11


Raise your hand if you've ever said one of these phrases:

- I plan on doing XXXX when I have more money or time
- I can't do XXXX because of other responsibilities
- I will know it is time to move forward when God does X, Y, and Z

It is our human nature to look for perfect conditions before we take a step forward. We wait for all the stars to align before we decide to launch out. Like the above passage, we wait for the wind to stop blowing, the clouds to move, and we stand in one place until the sun shines. Somehow, we seem to confuse God's timing with perfect conditions. We all want to be in God's timing but we mistake God's perfect timing with perfect conditions. For example, you may feel an urge to switch careers but your hesitant because of the years you've spent in your latest job, the money you may lose, and a host of other reasons. For others, you may be holding off on those wedding vows because YOU think the conditions are not juuussst right. Maybe there is a risk that the Lord wants you to take in order to fulfill a greater purpose but your hesitant because the factors of life don't seem ideal for taking flight.

In God's system, perfect timing does not always equate to perfect conditions. God is beyond the natural situations of life and He can do great things in spite of dangerous winds. Are you carefully watching His timing or the conditions of life? Take a thoughtful and prayerful look at why you are hesitating to sow. What is keeping you from reaping what the Lord has for you? The changes you need to grow may be hindered by your current focus. Turn your eyes to the Lord and listen to the subtle call to "Go" and don't focus so much on current conditions. Till next time...


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E-Leader Brand pt. 4 - "E" for Effort

2 Peter 1:5-8

“…giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren (ineffective) nor unfruitful (unproductive) in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Last weekend I had a team retreat with our young adult ministry leaders. It was a powerful weekend where we developed in our friendships, gained a better understanding of each other, gained consensus on the vision, and prayerfully developed a strategy to reach that big picture. To focus our minds for the weekend, I lead the team in a brief discussion on Friday night. One of the key themes of that discussion was the end all objective of being “fruitful” as individuals and as a ministry.

Being “fruitful” is a fundamental pillar of Christianity. Welcome to Jesus 101…He is the True Vine (John 15). When we abide in Him, we bear fruit or in other words works, character, speech, and other demonstrations of Christ’s divine nature and purpose.

Your Christianity is founded on grace and faith but is firmly established through the revelation of fruit in your life. This process of establishing yourself requires the “E” word. Effort.

The passage in 2 Peter referenced above communicates a message of diligence, patient growth, and continuous development. This applies both to our spiritual and our natural activities on earth. When diligent effort is directed towards our relationship with God and the works He has entrusted us to complete, we exude life and fruitfulness.

Evangeleaders do not stop at just faith, but they continue down the path of Godly self development. Show me a successful and fruitful Christian, and I’ll show you a person who has applied a consistent amount of effort. You might be asking, “Well, what kind of effort?” Here are a few examples:

1. Study God’s Word…consistently.

2. Pray and talk with God on a regular basis.

3. Commit to developing in the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5).

4. Diligently pursue knowledge and wisdom in your field of purpose. (School, mentorship, reading, research, etc.)

5. Consistently apply new knowledge.

If we put effort into this journey, we will see some remarkable results…God’s promise.

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B.W.P

Closed Doors

“Nevertheless not My will, but Yours…”
- Luke 22:42

You don’t see people really looking for doors to be closed in their life, do you? It’s not natural for us to look for opportunities to fall to the floor, plans to crumble before us, and persistence to produce little to no results.

To avoid these scenarios, we seek after doors to be opened. We pray for “the big” to happen. C’mon, we live in a society where we require options to be available. Pain and rejection is what we aim to avoid at all costs.

But there is something so exciting about closed doors. If you look closely, you may see someone much bigger than you influencing the situation.

Here are some familiar closed doors that seem to be open for a select few people, but not you. Don’t worry, many people can relate!

Chance happenings - For example, a soon to be actor that’s spotted randomly in the mall by an agent. The seemingly great job that the other guy or girl just happens to get out of nowhere.

Environment – Imagine this. What if you were born in Hawaii? Or into a millionaire family that owns a high-rise condo in New York? What if your dad was an NFL coach and trained you to be a pro athlete?

Lucky Thoughts – Don’t you wish you were the one who thought of creating Google? You drink coffee but never thought to launch Starbucks. If you only made that you-tube video, you would be FAMOUS. It seems everyone else has the great ideas!

The Knack – Trump has the keen business sense. Beyonce has the star quality in addition to a perfect voice. Will Smith is a multi-talented, multi-millionaire. It kind of makes me sick…lol.

In life, closed doors are a way for God to guide us in His will and purpose. Notice I said HIS. Closed doors are as powerful and as vital as open opportunities. If we’re fully submitted, it’s easy to see God channeling us towards a clear path that has been designed for us. Don’t lose hope. There are “chance” happenings and life changing thoughts that are around the corner but they may not fit your natural expectations.

As you pursue your goals, pray for both open AND closed doors. His plan, His way, His timing. Look at closed doors with the eyes of faith because there is something divine in the works. Facing a closed door in your life? Don't worry, it's all part of the bigger picture. Lord, let thy will be done.

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E-Leader Brand - pt. 3 - Self Aware

"Do not neglect the gift that is in you..."
- 1 Timothy 4:14

Maximizing your influence in the public arena requires a solid understanding of your capabilities, strengths, and gifts. The influence of an Evangeleader expands as he or she commits to leveraging these capabilities and centering their life mission around them.

The reason why so many believers are unproductive in life is because we focus our time, energy, and other resources in the wrong zones. We hold onto faith, but our daily efforts don’t align with what we’ve been created to do. Yes, we’ve been created to love, glorify our creator, and serve others. That strategy to life is an overarching vision but lacks a tactical approach. The question is HOW should we fulfill that vision? It’s the “HOW” that adds substance to our daily lives. The “How” is tangible, measurable, and REAL. Answering the question “How?” requires a level of self-awareness.

You’ve heard it a billion times from preachers and pastors…”you’ve been given a gift”. The funny thing is if we all know this, how come we’re still stuck in unfulfilling jobs. How come we carry this sense that there is something else we should be doing. In fact, many believers cannot clearly write down their capabilities and how they intend on using them.

The core of an Evangeleader’s journey consists of:

- Defining your capabilities and strengths (gifts and talents)
- Refining and developing those capabilities
- Devoting resources (emotions, thoughts, time, finances, etc.) to those capabilities
- Seeking opportunities to exercise those strengths and capabilities – In other words, walking in your design.

Evangeleaders differ from other believers because they not only have faith, but they are aware of how they should be used in life. They continue to align their efforts with their God given design. In fact, God gives us more grace when we are walking in our “calling”. We are energized, empowered, and motivated to keep moving forward. I’ve also observed that doors are opened to support your advancement when you faithfully give yourself over to purpose.

Don’t waste another day not knowing and leveraging your core abilities. Self-awareness is necessary in order to position yourself where you can influence others and serve our God. Here are some practical self-awareness tips:

- Ask God to reveal the unique strengths He has given you.
- Be attentive and alert. Watch for what you do well and what sparks enthusiasm.
- Patience. Remember it’s a journey.
- Try new things
- Ask questions (see the Power of Questions blog entry)
- Address discontent and restlessness quickly. Get to the root of it.
- Be willing to let go. Hold onto the good and get rid of the weights that keep you from moving.

Creation implies purpose and purpose is carried out through "gifts"...don't neglect the gift that is in you!


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Pop The Culture,

B.W.P